KEPRI Takes Lead in Developing Future Energy Technologies

KEPRI and other organizations co-hosted an industry-academia-research institution workshop on future promising technologies.

▲ Attendees at the workshop take pose for a picture.

KEPCO Research Institute (KEPRI, President: Park Soon-kyu) and other organizations co-hosted on July 10 the ‘Industry-academia-research institution joint workshop on future promising technologies in electric power industry’ at the International Convention Center in Jeju.

As part of the 2013 summer conference of Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers (KIEE), the workshop was co-hosted by KEPRI, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) and Korea Electrical Engineering & Science Research Institute (KESRI). In their papers presented at the workshop, specialists suggested development direction of future electrical grids, and low-carbon and new power generation technologies. They also proposed direction of electric power and energy technologies as agendas of the nation’s new growth engines.

In his paper on the trend of change in future electrical grids and outlook of technology development, Executive Director Sim Eung-bo at KEPRI said, “Future electrical grid technologies are predicted to be led by long distance power transmission technology that uses extra high voltage (EHV) and ultra high voltage (UHV), electric and electronic technologies needed for DC grids, and electric power system technology for safely operating renewable energies and energy storage systems (ESSs).” He also stressed, “Given its special regional condition, Korea needs to prepare for connecting with electric power systems in Russia, China and Japan by setting up smart grid networks. And it needs to concentrate efforts on developing electric power system control technologies and superconducting fault current limiter technologies for stabilized operation of such systems.”

In his paper on low-carbon and new power generation technologies, Senior Researcher Kim Beom-su at KEPRI stated, “Despite global carbon reduction policy, coal will remain to be an important source of power, but its importance is expected to be gradually diminished while more technologies will be developed for improving efficiency and reducing emission of pollution sources. Super critical and ultra super critical power generation facilities will play major role in the short run, and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology will largely contribute to improving efficiency and reducing CO₂ in the long run, but companies need to first find ways of mitigating burden of huge construction costs.”

In his paper, Prof. Yun Yeong-tae at Seoul National University argued, “Micro grid industry will have the greatest growth potential in the future. In the smart grid environment, power companies need to develop core technologies in system integration, hardware and software, and to improve their structure as total solution companies based on them.”

In a paper on current technologies and outlook of new technologies for rotary-type electric motors, such as electric vehicles, high-speed trains and electric ships, Executive Director Kang Do-hyeon at KERI said, “If energy efficiency in electric motor segment is improved by 4% over the past, companies will be able to evade construction of two nuclear power reactors and save 1.1 trillion won annually. In case 1 million electric vehicles are operated in the future, Korea needs to build additional 5 nuclear power reactors.”